(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved flail apparatus for limb and/or bark removal from trees. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus wherein a claw type skidder can be used to drag the trees through the apparatus.
(2) Prior Art
Flail apparatus, particularly chain flail apparatus, are well known to those skilled in the art and are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,792,860 to Watkins; 2,831,317 to Watkins; 2,893,451 to Dickerson; 2,994,352 to Johnson; 3,862,653 to Fay; 4,023,604 to Stadnick; 4,061,166 to Larson; 4,172,481 to Brisson; 4,214,616 to Brisson; 4,220,184 to Hallett et al; 4,572,258 to Mischel; 4,640,325 to Vaders; 4,690,187 to Schmidt and 4,711,280 to Schmidt. A knife type delimber is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,638 to Groves.
In most instances, supplying the trees to the flail apparatus requires relatively complex feeding means. In other instances, the apparatus is designed to ride over the trees for limb and/or bark removal. In any event, the feeding means are part of the apparatus thereby committing the feeder means to a single purpose (i.e. to feed the chain flails).